Lest We Forget (Long)


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By B2 on 14:49:16 12/16/01

The first full year of the Tressel recruiting era is rapidly heading toward what appears to be one of the great OSU classes of all time. Maybe, maybe not.
I would ask all of you on LOI night, after all the recruits are safely in the fold, to take a minute to remember the first member of this class.
He'll never be in uniform for the team photos in August. We won't see him run onto the field opening day. There will be no stories about his exploits against Michigan or in a Bowl game. Four winters from now no one will sit at a computer and electronically ask Buckeye fans world-wide, how we can ever replace him.
Of course I'm refering to Drushawn Humphreys, who helped OSU and Tressel in no small way. He was the first legitimate Tressel recruit, not a work-in-progress left over from the old administration. He was one of the best, if not the best senior-to-be in the nation; could've gone anywhere, could've played the game to the hilt and had a big LOI day announcement. He however, chose to be honest and direct. He announced for the Bucks and JT. He helped set the early tone for this class and helped JT's "legitimacy" at a time when that was actually a question. I' m not saying that JT could not have assembled this class without Drushawn, but I am saying that Dru certainly did more than his share.
It's hard to admit that we put so much emphasis on sports and so transfer adult hopes and fears onto the backs of teenagers, but that's what we do. I did it with Mr. Humphreys. But of course that's all gone now: No All American awards, no Heisman, no National Championship, no tree in the Grove.
What remains? Some sadly outdated sites on the internet still list Drushawn; electronically we can still hold on. Point and click and he's there. Would to God that that was possible. We all would in a heart beat bring him back, even in Maize and Blue, to bless his family and friends once again. Well of course we can't; the world goes on and there is nothing to do. Well almost nothing. To those of you near his family, coaches, team mates and friends I'm sure you've done your best. For the rest of us we'll have to make sure that his actions become part of Buckeye memory. Tell his story. And like I said, please, on LOI day, as we settle back and think of all the great kids in this class and the things that they may do to make us proud, tip your hat, lift a cup, or say a prayer for the first one.


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